Many kinds of removable band-type couplings for pipes exist in the art. It is noted that throughout the specification and claims, the term “pipe” encompasses any kind of generally cylindrical object, and the terms “clamp” and “coupling” are used interchangeably.
For example, one well known type of pipe coupling includes a seal clamp housing. Clamp members are positioned face to face and a tightening element is tightened to press an annular seal element against the outside of the pipe inserted through the seal clamp housing. One end of the tightening element is generally installed in one of the clamp members and the other end must be brought into a socket or opening formed in the other clamp member.
The tightening elements are generally bolts cooperating with a nut, which are tightened by a torque wrench and the like. The bolts fit into holes or other kinds of openings before tightening. Often when tightening one of the bolts, other bolts which have not yet been tightened, can become loosened in their holes and even fall out of them. This prolongs the tightening procedure and can make it so cumbersome as to require another person to hold the other bolts in place while tightening one of the bolts.